Joshin’ Around: Why Do People Hate The New York Yankees?

Every true baseball fan has one thing in common: They either love the New York Yankees, or they hate the New York Yankees.

And if you ask any of those haters why they don’t like the Yankees, they will give you one of three basic answers: 1) They spend way too much money. 2) They don’t build teams, they buy them. 3) They think Yankees fans are obnoxious.

I’ll tell you one thing right now: all of those reasons are ridiculous.

Let’s start with answer no. 1.  Do you know why other team’s fans complain about the Yankees spending too much money?  Well it’s not because they think the Yankees overpay players.

It’s jealousy.

The Yankees are by far the richest team in baseball.  So if you have enough money to sign the best players on the free agent market, why not?  Don’t complain that the Yankees outbid your favorite team for the best free agent, because you have no right to.  The Yankees offered that player more money than your team did, because they have more money than your team.

The Yankees do not overpay players; they just pay more than everyone else.  They’re the Yankees.  They can do that.  Accept it.

This leads right into answer no. 2.  More often than not, a typical Yankee hater will immediately accuse the Yankees of “buying teams,” instead of building them.  Let me tell you something right now: since free-agency in baseball came into existence, every winning franchise has bought their team

Let’s start first with the projected 2009 Yankees roster.  Out of the eight position players, five starting pitchers, and one closer (14 total), the Yankees have seven home-grown players, or players that have come up through their farm system.

Now let’s look at the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox, the next two highest payroll teams, and the two biggest Yankee hating organizations.  Out of the same 14 players, the Mets only have four home-grown players, and the Red Sox have six.

What that means is this: the accusation that the Yankees buy teams is absolutely true, because every other winning team in baseball, minus the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, has bought their team.  Out of the eight position players, five starting pitchers, and one closer, the mets have bought 10, the Red Sox have bought 8, and the Yankees have only bought 7.

How ‘bout them apples?

So don’t accuse the Yankees as being the only team that supposedly “buys” their team, because when you look at the rest of the winning teams, they’ve all done the same thing.

And as for answer no. 3, all fans are obnoxious.  Whether you are a Yankee fan, Royals fan, Brewers fan, or Mets fan, fans from every other team think you are obnoxious.  That is just how sports work.  There doesn’t have to be a rivalry; fans of one team don’t like the fans of others.

So there you have it.  I have just made a mockery of the three biggest reasons why people hate the New York Yankees, the greatest franchise in sports history.

Now don’t get me wrong; I have no problem with anyone hating the Yankees.  I completely understand why people hate the Yankees, especially Mets and Red Sox fans.

But hate the Yankees because they’re the best team in sports history.  Don’t hate them because they have more money than your favorite team, and don’t accuse them of doing things every other team does.

That’s just ridiculous.

Don’t forget to keep looking out for the next “Joshin’ Around.”